1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc player apparatus for reproducing information signals recorded on a recording disc, such as an optical disc. More particularly, it relates to a disc player apparatus in which a disc tray movably supported across the inner and outer portions of an outer casing constituting a main body of the apparatus is moved for loading a recording disc set on the disc tray on a disc table arranged in the inner portion of the outer casing.
2. Background of the Invention
Up to now, a disc player apparatus in which information signals recorded on an optical disc as a recording disc, is in widespread use.
This type of the disc player apparatus includes a loading mechanism for loading the recording disc set on the disc tray on the disc table arranged in the outer casing by moving the disc tray movably supported across the inner and outer portions of the outer casing constituting the main body of the apparatus, and a chuck mechanism for clamping the optical disc loaded by the loading mechanism on the disc table.
The loading mechanism employed for this disc player apparatus includes a disc tray moved across the inner and outer portions of the outer casing constituting the main body of the apparatus. The optical disc is loaded on or unloaded from the disc tray in a state in which the disc tray is pulled out of the outer casing. The disc tray also transports the optical disc into the outer casing by being pulled into the outer casing with the optical disc set thereon.
On the other hand, the chuck mechanism is made up of a disc table on which the optical disc is set and which is rotated in unison with the optical disc, and a chuck plate rotatably supported for facing the disc table.
The disc table on which the optical disc is set and which is rotated in unison with the optical disc constitutes a disc drive along with the optical pickup device. Thus the disc table is mounted on a driving shaft of the spindle motor and rotated under the driving force of the spindle motor. The optical pickup device, constituting the disc drive, is supported for movement across the inner and outer rims of the optical disc set on the disc table via a movement guide member, while being moved across the inner and outer rims of the optical disc via an optical disc driving mechanism.
The disc drive is arranged within the outer casing for movement in a direction in which the disc table is moved towards and away from the chuck plate. When the optical disc is to be loaded, the disc table has been moved to a position spaced apart from the chuck plate. The optical disc drawn into the outer casing by the loading mechanism is set on the disc tray and transported in this state to a space between the disc table and the chuck table. The optical disc transferred into the inside of the outer casing is set on the disc table, by movement of the disc table towards the chuck plate. On the other hand, the optical disc is thrust and supported by the chuck plate so as to be clamped for rotation in unison with the disc table. If, with the optical disc clamped on the disc table in cooperation with the chuck plate, the spindle motor is run in rotation, the optical disc is rotated in unison with the disc table and the chuck plate. The information signals recorded on the optical disc are reproduced by movement of the optical pickup device across the inner and outer rims of the optical disc being run in rotation.
With the above-described disc player apparatus, the disc drive is moved towards the chuck plate after drawing the optical disc set on the disc tray into the inside of the outer casing by the loading mechanism for clamping the optical disc on the disc table. Thus, with the present disc player apparatus, the operation of setting the optical disc on the disc tray drawn out of the outer casing, drawing the optical disc into the inside of the outer casing for completing the loading on the disc table and starting the reproduction of the information signal recorded on the optical disc, is time-consuming, while it is extremely difficult to shorten the time required in a series of operations for loading the optical disc.
For shortening the time for loading the optical disc, it may be contemplated to arrange the disc drive carrying the optical disc on the disc tray moved across the inner and outer rims of the outer casing for moving the disc drive along with the disc tray towards outside of the outer casing. Since the present disc player apparatus is configured for moving the disc drive across the inner and outer portions of the outer casing, the optical disc may be directly loaded on the disc drive pulled out of the outer casing. Thus the information signals recorded on the optical disc may be immediately reproduced after the disc drive carrying the loaded optical disc is pulled into the inside of the outer casing, so that it becomes possible to reduce the loading time for quickly reproducing the information signals.
However, if the disc drive is placed on the disc tray moved across the inner and outer rims of the outer casing, it becomes necessary to pull out the disc drive inclusive of the disc table in its entirety out of the outer casing, thus increasing the distance traversed by the disc tray. In addition, the movement mechanism for movably supporting the heavy disc drive needs to be increased in mechanical strength in order to pull out the disc drive out of the outer casing, thus increasing the size of the movement mechanism. The result is that the disc player itself is increased in size and weight.